The present invention relates generally to a coupling assembly for connecting two members together and more particularly to a releasable coupling assembly having an integral female member and a movable release sleeve.
Coupling assemblies for the transmission of gases or fluids that may be secured together by axial movement of a male member into a female member are known in the art. There are continual efforts to improve upon the current designs of coupling assemblies, particularly to reduce the complexity and cost of the mating members. In a typical application, a male coupling member and female coupling member function as an adapter between a flexible conduit, such as a hose, and an apparatus, such as a pump. While several methods are commonly used to connect the male coupling member to the flexible conduit, such as a barbed hose adapter, the female coupling member is typically connected into a port in the apparatus using a threaded connection. A threaded connection requires the manufacturer to machine a threaded port into their apparatus and to purchase a separate female coupling member designed to engage the threaded port. Manufacturers have attempted to reduce complexity and cost by integrating the female coupling member directly into their apparatus thereby eliminating the need to purchase a separate xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female coupling member.
One type of known coupling assembly utilizes an annular locking ring to secure the male coupling member in the female coupling member upon insertion of the male coupling member. The annular locking ring typically engages an outwardly extending rib that may include a tapered ramp and a tapered shoulder. The male coupling member may include a release sleeve moveably mounted thereon for releasing the male member from the female member. A conventional release sleeve typically includes a rigid edge, which upon movement of the release sleeve toward the annular locking ring, forces the locking ring radially outwardly thereby allowing the male coupling member to be disconnected from the female member. Additionally, a conventional release sleeve typically includes a sealing portion that engages an external surface of the female coupling member upon connection with the male coupling member to substantially inhibit the ingression of dust or other contaminates into the area surrounding the annular locking ring. Contamination in the area surrounding the locking ring has been found to significantly reduce the operational life of the coupling assembly.
A key limitation of conventional release sleeves is that they function with either an xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female member or an xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female member, but not both. In one known release sleeve design, the sealing portion has an axial length sufficient to sealingly engage an exterior cylindrical surface of an xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female and to permit sufficient axial movement of the release sleeve toward the female member to engage the locking member. However, this release sleeve is incapable of connecting to an xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female member due to the inability of the sealing portion to deform as the male member and release sleeve are moved toward the female member. Therefore, in order to use the foregoing release sleeve design with an xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female coupling member, an annular groove is needed in the face of the female member to receive the sealing portion of the release sleeve. A groove of this nature is at best difficult to manufacture, thereby adding cost and complexity to the apparatus.
The inability of the foregoing release sleeve to function with an xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female member was addressed in another known release sleeve design. In this design, the axial length of the sealing portion is reduced and the diameter enlarged to permit movement toward an xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female member a distance sufficient to connect the coupling members and to cause the rigid edge to expand the locking ring. However, this release sleeve design is incapable of functioning with an xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female member due to the insufficient axial length of the sealing portion. In other words, the sealing portion in this design will not sealingly engage the exterior cylindrical sealing surface of an xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female member. Accordingly, there exists a need for a release sleeve having a sealing portion that sealingly engages both xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female coupling members and permits axial movement of the release sleeve a distance sufficient to cause expansion of a locking ring.
In order to reduce complexity and cost, the present invention provides an xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female coupling member that may be formed directly into the body of an apparatus, such as a pump. The present invention further provides a release sleeve for releasing a male coupling member from both conventional xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female coupling members and xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female coupling members.
The present invention recognizes the aforementioned limitations associated with convention coupling assemblies and provides a coupling assembly that includes a release sleeve that is capable of releasing a male coupling member from both conventional xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female members and xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female members.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a coupling assembly for connecting two members is provided that includes a first xe2x80x9cmalexe2x80x9d member and a second xe2x80x9cfemalexe2x80x9d member. The first member includes a protrusion having a first and second exterior surface separated by a radially outwardly extending retaining formation. The retaining formation includes an outwardly tapered inclined ramp and an inwardly tapered shoulder meeting at an apex. The first member further includes a release sleeve moveably mounted on the second external surface having a rigid release portion and a flexible sealing portion. The second member is integrated into an apparatus, such as a pump or manifold, and includes a receiving portion therethrough having an inwardly facing annular groove in which is positioned a radially expandable locking member. The second member further includes a recess for receiving the flexible sealing portion of the release sleeve. The flexible sealing portion sealingly engages both the recess of the second member and the second exterior surface of the first member to substantially inhibit the ingression of contaminates into the area surrounding the locking member while the first and second members are connected. Upon insertion of the first member into the receiving portion of the second member, the locking member is forced to expand over the outwardly tapered inclined surface of the receiving portion on the first member. Once over the apex, the locking member contracts to engage the tapered shoulder of the rib to positively retain the first member in the second member. The release sleeve further includes a rigid release portion that, upon movement of the release sleeve toward the locking member, forces the locking member to expand over the apex to permit the first member to be disconnected from the second member. The foregoing coupling assembly is advantageous because it allows the xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female member to be formed directly into an apparatus, such as a pump or manifold. In other embodiments of the invention, the coupling assembly provides a release sleeve that releases the male member from both conventional xe2x80x9cindependentxe2x80x9d female members and the xe2x80x9cintegralxe2x80x9d female members.